Ottawa student dies after explosion at Barrhaven high school
Posted May 27, 2011 01:51:26 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
OTTAWA — Police say an 18-year-old student who was critically injured in an explosion at a suburban Ottawa high school has died.
The Ottawa Catholic School Board has identified the student as Eric Leighton, a Grade 12 student.
Police say about a dozen students and a teacher were apparently building barbecues in the auto shop when vapours from an empty 55-gallon oil drum ignited and blew up.
Leighton wasn’t breathing and had no pulse when emergency workers arrived, but paramedics were able to resuscitate him by the time they reached hospital.
A teacher and several other students suffered minor injuries.
The blast Thursday morning rattled desks throughout Mother Teresa Catholic High School.
